Fort Myers radio station joins nationwide push to broadcast from convention site

WFSX radio host Drew Steele (facing camera) talks to U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin Thursday at the Republican National Convention in Tampa.

John Mountz/Special to the Daily News

TAMPA _ At the Republican National Convention, radio row is a line of tables set up with remote broadcast capabilities for nationally syndicated shows and local stations from all over the country.

This year, one of them is from Southwest Florida.

WFSX , 92.5 FOX News radio based in Fort Myers, has a booth from where Drew Steele broadcasts his morning show, Daybreak, with the help of producer John Mountz.

Steele took over Daybreak earlier this year when Trey Radel left as host and announced his run for Congress.

So the RNC is a first for both him and Mountz.

Party conventions are known for their late nights, making production of a show that starts before dawn challenging, Mountz said.

"The show airs from 5 (a.m.) until 9. Needless to say there's nobody here that early," he said.

To compensate, they've been taping segments later in the day for airing the next morning.

On Thursday, Steele chatted with Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.

Before that, he talked to Gerald Molen, producer of the movie "Obama's America 2016."

The duo had done about 18 interviews through Thursday.

After the show, Mountz said, he likes to go in the convention hall to take in the proceedings. While it may look like a bunch of people making speeches on TV, there is a feel and energy inside the hall that is difficult to appreciate from afar, he said.

For people who make their living talking politics, the convention is like a fantasy land, Mountz said.

"It's like going to Disney, only the rides aren't as good and the characters are different," he said. "They stay out later and drink more."